Expert: Sue Kayton Date: 5/27/2008 Subject: egg drop project
Question I am doing a science project with my little brother, He is in the 3rd grade. he making contraptions for raw eggs so that they dont break from a 12 foot fall... i dont no how to realte this experiment to science in 3rd grade terms... i know it has to do with physics...
Answer It has nothing to do with physics and everything to do with common sense.
Common sense says if the unprotected egg hits the ground it will break, so you need to protect the egg. It doesn't make sense to protect it with rigid breakable stuff like glass. You want to protect it with squashable stuff like foam, feathers, corrugated cardboard, bubble wrap, etc.
In physics terms, we say the squashable stuff is absorbing the energy of the fall. In third grade terms, we say the squashable stuff is protecting the egg.
If the rules permit it, coating the egg with a light film of Elmer's Glue is a big help.
